Definition

1. Noun:
   • A fundamental principle of classical physics: The law of conservation of mass states that the total mass of an isolated system remains constant over time. Mass is neither created nor destroyed; it is only transformed or rearranged.

Usage

• The principle is a cornerstone of chemistry and physics.
• It is often applied in chemical reactions and physical processes to balance equations and understand system changes.

Examples

• Noun:
  • In a closed chemical reaction, the conservation of mass means the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.
  • The principle of conservation of mass was crucial for the development of modern chemistry.

Advanced Usage

• "Law of conservation of mass": The full formal name of the principle.
  • The law of conservation of mass is also known as the principle of mass conservation.
• In modern physics, this law is combined with the conservation of energy into the mass-energy equivalence principle (E=mc²), but it remains valid for non-relativistic, classical systems.

Variants and Related Words

• Mass conservation (n): An alternative term with the same meaning.
  • Engineers must account for mass conservation in their designs.
• Conservation law (n): A broader term for any scientific law stating a particular property of a system does not change.
  • The conservation of mass is one of several fundamental conservation laws.

Synonyms

• Principle of mass conservation: A direct synonym.
• Law of indestructibility of matter: An older, less common term for the same concept.

Related Phrases

• Conservation of matter: A phrase often used interchangeably with "conservation of mass," though it can sometimes imply a focus on material substance.
  • The concept of conservation of matter is taught in basic science classes.

Noun

1. a fundamental principle of classical physics that matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system